In yet another twist that is set to intensify the battle for spectrum, the country’s second largest CDMA-based operator — Tata Teleservices — on Monday applied for GSM-spectrum in 20 telecom circles in the country. The move comes even as the GSM players, who are livid at the DoT move to allow the use of dual technology are set to challenge the government’s move in the Telecom Tribunal on Tuesday.

The Tatas’ move implies that all CDMA-based operators in the country which also includes Reliance Communications, Shyam and HFCL have now applied for GSM spectrum. (RCOM, Shyam and HFCL have applied for GSM spectrum last year).

Following the Department of Telecom’s (DoT) announcement last Friday that it would permit existing players to expand their networks by using alternate wireless technology, Anil Ambani-led Reliance Communications acted immediately and paid up Rs 1,651 crore which is the requisite license fee for offering GSM services on a nation-wide basis.

The Tatas in a statement said that they had submitted the application for the GSM spectrum under the new guidelines laid down by the DoT allowing existing licensees to use spectrum and offer services in both CDMA and GSM technologies. “We look forward to a level playing field in the industry and await clarity on all aspects of this new announcement from the authorities,” the statement added.

At present, the Tatas have only CDMA-operations following their exit from Idea Cellular last year. Even as the Tatas will have to join the spectrum queue, industry sources said that the company had jumped into the GSM bandwagon following the Department of Telecom’s move to tighten the subscriber bases spectrum allocation norms. Raising the spectrum allocation norms will result in all existing operators, barring Bharti in Delhi, being disqualified from getting additional spectrum in their existing circles.

This will help new applicants such as Tatas a chance of getting 2G GSM spectrum when the defence forces vacate these radio frequencies.